Carlton: Texas' J'Covan Brown eager to carry the load for young Horns squad in NCAA tourney

3/11

LOUIS DeLUCA / Staff Photographer

J'Covan Brown, G: Brown is the first name to know when you talk about the Longhorns. The junior from Port Arthur has the build of a point guard but the game of a shooting guard, standing only 6-foot-1 but raining in jumpers by the truckload. He was one of the top scorers in major-conference basketball this year, averaging 20.1 points per contest, and though he's not the most efficient player on the court, he'll be the one that dictates how far the Horns go.

After five starters exited last season, coach Rick Barnes had little choice about rebuilding his Texas team.

For better or worse or both, everything would revolve around J’Covan Brown, the sixth man in 2010-11 and Texas’ most talented player. The choice was obvious. The outcome? Far less certain.

In the past, Brown has been alternately a nightmare to opposing defenses, a headache to coaches and a pain to officials. Now, Brown has Texas (20-13) in the NCAA Tournament against Cincinnati (24-10) for a meeting Friday in Nashville.

Brown was aware of the skeptics and the long odds that faced Texas after it started 3-6 in the Big 12 before finishing 9-9. He’s equally aware now with the Longhorns in the unfamiliar position of a No. 11 seed.

“Yeah, I cherish it,” Brown said. “People counted us out during the whole season, some thinking we weren’t going to make it.”

Brown, the Big 12 scoring leader at 20.1 points a game, enters the tournament on a roll, averaging 24.8 points and 6.0 rebounds in his last four games.

“I’ve played with six freshmen,” Brown said. “I’ve put them on my back through good times and bad times. I’m here for those guys like they’re here for me.”

His freshman teammates knew Brown could score before they ever played with him. Heck, everybody’s realized Brown could produce points regardless of opponent, situation, whatever.

“What I learned from him is why he scores,” freshman guard Myck Kabongo said. “He’s efficient. There’s not wasted motion with him.”

Sheldon McClellan once scored 56 points in a high school game playing for Houston Bellaire. He quickly understood that Brown seldom rushes shots. McClellan took mental notes.

“Just the patience with which he moves,” McClellan said. “Sometimes I move too fast or too slow. J’Covan has great pace. That’s what gets him open shots.”

Brown has admirers beyond the Texas locker room.

Kansas coach Bill Self tried to remember the last time someone scored 29 points in a half against one of his teams, like Brown did. He came up blank.

“I don’t think people really understand how hard it is to score 20 points a night, night in and night out or do what he does,” Barnes said, “because I can assure you that every team that we played this year, he has been the focus of their game plan.

“So he goes out every game with a big bull’s-eye on his back.”

Not everything has gone smoothly in what overall has been a redemptive season.

Early, Brown was ejected against North Carolina State, and a comfortable Texas lead turned into an overtime loss.

“I made a mistake,” Brown said. “Like a leader should, I went to my teammates and apologized. It was my decision, nobody else’s because I knew I messed up. They realized that I cost them a win. That’s in the past.”

Big-time on the big stage

Texas junior guard J’Covan Brown has scored at least 20 points in his three previous NCAA appearances. The game-by-game breakdown:

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